Differential turret style tinplate printer



Jan. 18, 1966 R. A. PANNIER DIFFERENTIAL TURRET STYLE TINPLATE PRINTER 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1962 INVENTOR. RALPH/4. PAUAI/EE BYwfifiwfi Hz: Ar TQENEY Jan. 18, 1966 R. A. PANNIER DIFFERENTIAL TURRETSTYLE TINPLATE PRINTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1962 m H W M E 0if A 6 MA M. 9%

30 QUYQ R. A. PANNIER Jan. 18, 1966 DIFFERENTIAL TURRET STYLE TINPLATEPRINTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 27, 1962 K b INVENTOR IeALPI-y 4.Bum/use B Q W "3 H15 Arroeuev Jan. 18, 1966 R. A. PANNIER DIFFERENTIALTURRET STYLE TINPLATE PRINTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 27, 1962WIQEWQ INVENTOR RALPH 4. PAuu/Ez H/s A rraeusr mmmmmmmm i am Jan. 18,1966 R. A. PANNIER 3,229,625

DIFFERENTIAL TURRET STYLE TINPLATE PRINTER Filed Dec. 27, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.5

PRINT/M6 Eou. 47 P170! C/ezu;

EAL PH A. R4NMIEIE H/s A 1-10 e-sv United States Patent 3,229,625DIFFERENTIAL TURRET STYLE TINPLATE PRINTER Ralph A. Pannier, McCandlessTownship, Allegheny County, Pa., assignor to The Pannier Corporation,Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 27, 1962, Ser.No. 247,741 14 Claims. (Ci. 101-92) This invention relates generally toprinters for mark ing travelling material such as tin-plate strip andmore particularly to an automatic control for changing the printingmarking rolls for dflerent applications to the travelling material suchas the character and thickness of the plating on the tin plate.

The problem of changing the marking on a travelling strip of tin platehas in the past required the mill to be shut down which, for arelatively short period of time, can be very expensive and the accuracyof the selected printer roll is subject to personal error.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of an automaticmachine to withdraw and change the printing roll automatically inaccordance with the changing of the characteristics of the material suchas the character and thickness of the tin plating on both sides of thetravelling strip. The printing rolls are automatically changed by theactual changing of the tin-plate coating on either or both sides. Thusthere is no chance of misprinting as well as requiring an interruptionof the operation of the mill. A few feet of material may go unmarkedduring the transition but this is relatively nil as an expense incomparison to the shutting down the mill which may amount to the loss ofseveral thousands of dollars for a very short period of time.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the followingdescription and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplificationwithout limiting the invention and claims thereto certain practicalembodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a View in side elevation illustrating the printing machine inits extended position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 3 illustratingthe printing machine in its extended position.

FIG. 3 is a view in transverse section of the printing machine.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the control of this automaticprinting machine.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the retraction of the printingroll and the transfer roll.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings 1 indicates the base uponwhich the printing machine is mounted. This base is supported on afoundation 2 on one side of the travelling strip 3 of material which isto be marked. The strip 3 of material in this instance is a tin-platestrip that is travelling upwardly as indicated by the arrow. The strip 3may travel in either direction. If needed the strip 3 may have a backuproll 4 at the printing station 5 from a suitable fixed foundation 7.This backadjustable frame 6 supported to move relative to the station 5from a suitable fixed foundation 7. This backup roll 4 may be rotated ashereinafter described.

The base 1 is provided with the ways 8 that slidably support thecarriage 10 which has attached thereto the power means 11 in the form ofthe air cylinder 12 con taining a piston attached rod 13 pivotallyconnected at 14 to the carriage 10. For convenience two such power means11 may be provided at opposite ends of the carriage ice but the both areconnected to function in unison with a single control and are connectedto exhaust one side of the pistons when pressure is applied to theopposite side.

The power means 11 reciprocates the carriage from the adjustable stop 15in its extended position to the extent of the piston travel in theopposite or retracted position. The limit switches LS1 and LS2 areactuated by the carriage in its opposite positions as shown.

When the carriage 10 is retracted the printing rolls 17 are withdrawnfrom the printing station 5 at the nine oclock position as shown in FIG.2 and the limit switch LS1 is released and the limit switch LS2 isengaged. Thus the printing rolls 17 are withdrawn from engagement withthe travelling strip at the station '5. There are eight ditferentprinting rolls 17. Each roll of this series of printing rolls isrotatably mounted in the perimeter of the Ferris wheel 18 which is madeup of a pair of spaced wheels 20 secured to each other by means of thearcuate plates 21 which make a rigid rotary frame. Each roll 17 ismounted on a shaft 22 set in bearing 23 set in the bearing blocks 2-4that are secured to the pillow blocks 25, by the bolts 26. The bearings23 and blocks 24 at opposite ends of the printing roll shaft 22 supportthe rolls 17 but each shaft has secured thereto a gear 27 for rotatingthe printing roll at the same peripheral speed as the liner speed of thestrip 3.

The wheels 20 of the Ferris wheel 18 are supported by the main framemembers 28 and 29 on the carriage 19. These frames are upright membersthat are braced with spaced outwardly projecting plates 30 that carrythe platform 31. A variable speed motor 32 is supported by the platform31 of the frame member 28 and the motor 33 is supported by the platform31 of the main frame 29.

The upper portion of each frame carries an upwardly open journal box 34braced by the angle members 35 on their respective platforms. Eachjournal box has an upwardly open square cavity to receive the squaredend 36 of the tubular supports 37 that hold the inner frame member 38. Acap plate 40 is secured to the top of the journal box 34 and holds thetubular support 37 in place. A shoulder 41 is formed where the squaredportion 36 ends. These corners 41 gauge the distance between the frames28 and 29.

A cylindrical surface 42 is turned on the tubular support 37 to receivethe antifriction bearings 43 that rotatably support the wheels 20 ateach end of the Ferris wheel 18. The bearings 43 are held against theshoulder 44 and the lock and split ring combination 45. Thus the Ferriswheel 18 is supported for rotation on the reciprocal carriage 10 andcarries eight or any desired number of printing rolls 17 each with agear 27. This Ferris wheel encloses over the inner frame member thatsupports the inking device.

The inner frame member is thus stationary relative to the carriage 10.The inner frame member consists of the end plates 46, secured to theinner ends of the tubular .supports 37, which are secured together bythe upper and lower longitudinal plates 47 and 48. Above the lower plate48 the end plates 46 carry the ways 50 upon which is reciprocallysupported the inking carriage 51 which is reciprocated by the motormeans 52 which are spaced from the air cylinders 53 mounted on the lowerplate 48 having their piston rods '54 secured to the inking carriage 51.

The inking carriage. 51 has the spaced upright frame members 55connected by the back plate 56 and the under basin-like tray 57. Brainplugs 59 are provided in the ends 55 of the carriage 51 from which todrain the basin S7 of any ink drippage although the ink is of thecharacter that it is applied by spraying or flowing and is not inquantities that would be in excess to cause an overflow.

The inking carriage frames carry spaced bearings 58 to rotatably supportthe ink transfer roll 60 carried by the shaft 61.

The ink carriage frame members 55 each have a rearwardly open slot 62which slidably carry the bearing blocks 63 that fixedly support theantifriction bearings 64 in which the shaft 65 is journaled. The shaft65 carries the inking roll 66 and the plate 56 is provided with thepressure screws 67 which bear against their respective bearing blocks 63to determine the pressure between the inking roll 66 and the inktransfer roll 68. As previously stated the inking device 68 is supportedon the. inner face of the plate 56 and may spray or flow the ink on theroll 66 in a quantity sufiicient to be carried to and transferred by thetransfer roll 60 to the printing roll 17 and thence to the strip 3. Thusit makes little difference which direction the rolls 66 and 68 travel asthey are not transferring an ink that is of extremely low viscosity or athin ink.

The motor 32 on the platform 31 is coupled to the shaft 70 carried bythe antifrictional bearings 71 within the tubular member 37 andextending to within the inner frame 38. The end of the shaft 70 carriesthe sprocket 72 to drive the chain 73 and the sprocket 74 on the crossshaft 75 carried by the bearings 76 on the underside of the upper plate47 of the inner frame 38. The other end of the cross shaft 75 carriesthe sprocket 77 to drive the chain 78 and the sprocket 79 on the end ofthe ink transfer roll shaft 61. As shown in FIG. 1 the strip 3 istravelling upward so the Chlfllll 78 and the sprocket 77 with its shaft75 are travelling in a counter clockwise direction in which case theidler sprocket 80 is mounted on the shaft 81 on the push side of thechain the pull side being directly from the sprocket 79 to the sprocket77.

If the strip 3 is travelling down the idler roll '80 and its shaft areplaced on the down side as shown in FIG. 2 and the shaft 75 with itssprocket 77 is travelling clockwise and the straight or pull side of thechain 78 is on the, top side.

Thus. this printer can be used for printing strip travelling up or downby merely switching the idler 80 and its shaft 81 and rotating the motor32 in the opposite direction. Obviously this printer is designed to workon a vertical pass of the strip but it could readily be converted toope-rate on a horizontal pass of the strip 3 and be positioned either ontop or bottom of the travelling strip.

When the shaft 61 of the ink transfer roll 60 is rotated the gear 82 onthe opposite end from the sprocket 79 is caused to rotate. Since thegear 82 is in mesh with the gear 83- on the inking roller shaft 65 theinking roller is rotated in timed relation and the pitch line of thegears 82 and 83 are substantially the same diameter as their respectiverolls 60 and 66 thus they travel in surface contact with each other withpressure exerted therebetween by the screws 67.

Any reciprocal movement of the inking carriage 51 is thus assumed by theidler sprocket and the rolls 60 and 66 will continue to run regardlessof the position of the inking carriage 51. The only time that the inkingroll 66 would not be in contact with the ink transfer roll 60 would bewhen the bearing blocks 63 would be moved outwardly in the slots 62 atwhich time the motor 32 would, of course, not be rotating.

When inking carriage 51 is moved forward on the ways 50 the driving gear82 of the ink transfer roll shaft 61 engages the gear 27 on the printerroll shaft 22 and thus drive the printer roll 17 that is positioned atthe nine oclock location as shown in FIG. 1. The motor 32 that drivesthe shaft 61 and the gears 82 and 27 when meshed to rotate the printingroll 17, before engaging the constantly moving strip, constitutes oneform of roll driving means. The speed of the motor 32 is selected sothat through this chain and gear drive the peripheral speed of theprinting roll 17 will be the same as the lineal speed of the strip 3.

At this time the carriage 10 may be moved forward to permit the selectedprinting roll 17 to become engaged in moving surface contact with thetravelling strip 3 and thus ink fed to the inking roll 66 is transferredby the transfer roll 60 to the printing roll 17 and thus print thetravelling strip 3. The inking carriage power means or motors 53 may beadjusted through their piston rods 54 to apply the proper pressurethrough the surface contact between the transfer roll 68 and theprinting roll 17.

The gears 27 and 82 will always properly mesh because their teeth aresharpened and being made of a plastic such as nylon or other suitablematerial they will not hang upon each other. This is particularly truewhen the motor 32 is kept running and the Ferris wheel is being changedto change printing rolls. The backup roll 4 may also be provided with agear 9 to mesh with gear 27 and drive the same with the strip travelling'therebetween if both are the same diameter.

To change the printing roll the carriage 10 is withdrawn and the inkingcarriage 51 is withdrawn which leaves the Ferris wheel 18 free. Thecylinder 84 is deenergized to permit its biasing spring to withdrawn thedent lock member 85 from the Ferris wheel 18 and allow the latter to berotated to position another selected printer rwoll 17 in printinglocation at the nine oclock position after which the Ferris wheel isrelocked and the inking carriage is returned to engage and rotate thenew printing roll and the carriage 10 is extended to have the newlypositioned printing roll engage and print on the travelling strip 3.

In order to rotate the Ferris wheel 18 the end opposite that of themotor 32 is provided with the Geneva wheel 86 which is fixed to theFerris wheel 20 at the right end in FIG. 3. The Geneva wheel is providedwith eight arcuate dwell surfaces 87 and eight radial slots 88 formoving the Geneva wheel through the eight positions. Thus each dwellposition 87 is centered relative to a printing roll and regardless 0 fthe actual positions of the Geneva wheel 10.

The Geneva driver 90 has one cylindrical dwell part which represents aprinting roll locking position. The Geneva driver 90 has the roller 91to descend into the slots 88 and move the eight position Geneva wheelfrom one printing roll position to another. During the dwell period thewheel remains stationary when the cylindrical portion 92 of the driveris in mesh with the dwell portion of the wheel 86. The driver 90 isrotated by the motor 33.

The end of the Ferris wheel 18 adjacent the motor 32, is provided with apermanent magnet 93 which is positiond relative to the printer rollerson the Ferris Wheel. Thus its location, regardless of just where it is,has a fixed relation to the position of the Ferris wheel 18. A disc 94is secured to the vertical frame member 28 and is provided with eightindependent switches 95 or series M1 to M8 operable to close a circuitwhen the permanent magnet 93 is adjacent thereto. These switches havethe same spacing as the printing rol-ls 17 and thus each switchrepresents a printing roll and when the magnet 93 is opposite a switchit will function. These magnetically operated switches will actuate whenthe magnet passes so their circuit must be arranged to function when thepermanent magnet stops at the selected printing noll position. Thesemagnetic switches may have front and back multiple contacts and thewiring to the stationary disc 94 carrying these switches M1 or 95 needbe wired with sufficient play to allow for reciprocal movement of thecarriage 10.

The motor end 33 of the Ferris wheel 18 is above the tubular member 37which is employed to carry the pneumatic tubing for the operation of theair motors 53 in reciprocating the inking carriage 51. The valve thatapplies the air to 10116 side of their piston in these fluid motors alsoexhausts air from the other side :of the piston.

Thus dual lines of both motors 53 are connected together and only twolines are brought out of the Ferris wheel and the control valves areoutside.

To automatically control this marking machine a set of selection relaysA1 to A8 are controlled by the machine which in this instance changesthe type of tin plate coat ing on the travelling steel strip 3. Thiscircuit means for automatically controlling the positioning of aselected roller 17 may have as many as eight difierent printing rollcombinations and if the mill is capable of having more a printer withmore rolls must be employed although it would otherwise be the same asthat shown and described. Thus the relay series A1 to A8 represents afunction of changing the coating of tin plate on the strip and as aresult of this change one of the relay series A1 to A8 is energized.These are impulse relays and once energized they drop out. The contactsof these relays are in parallel with their respective push button seriesP1 to P8 which permit a manual selection of the printing roll. If theselection is made through the push button series the same selectedfunction takes place and to initiate this operation the selected circuitfirst energizes one of the series of selection R relays R1 to R8 by theimpulse of the push buttons P or the relay series A. To become energizedthe selected A relay or selected push button P must first check throughthe RC back contacts of the R relay series. If none of these relays isenergized then the A relay or push button P is eifective in closing itsenergizing circuit and the selected R relay becomes energized closingits own front contact stick circuit RS.

Upon the energization of a selected R relay its closed front contact R0to line 100 and set up its front deenergizing contact RD to line 101which is on the ground side of relay D.

The circuit of each R relay is made from or positive through its frontstick contact RS to one side of the operating coil and thence through102 to back contact D2 of the de-energizing relay D to or negative.

When line 100 is energized it supplies current through the normallyclosed back contacts LSZB and LS4B both of which are the limit switchesfor the forward and retracted position of the main carriage and theinking carriage 51 respectively. Since both of these carriages are intheir forward position these back contacts are closed and both of thecarriage reversing relays 10R and 51R are energized simultaneously toretract both carriages by closing their front contacts 10R1 and 51R1 toenergize their respective solenoids 103 and 104 to supply air to thefront of the respective motor cylinders and exhaust air from the rearcausing the respective carriages to move from front to rear. Thismovement of the carriages open the back contacts :of LS2 and LS4 thusde-energizing 10R and 51R leaving the carriages retracted.

When in their forward position both carriages 10 and 51 maintain limitswitches LS1 and LS3 closed and their normally closed contacts when thecarriages are forward are LS1A and LS3A which are in parallel and supplycurrent from to relay PD or printing drive relay. When PD relay isenergized its front contact PD1 supplies current to motor 32 to drivethe ink transfer roll 60 the inking roll 66 and the printing roll 27 andany other roll connected therewith. Thus when the carriage 10 and 51 areretracted this printing drive relay PD is de-energized by the withdrawalof the carriages 10 and 51 from the limit switches LS1 and LS3respectively.

As soon as LS1 is disengaged by carriage 10 LSlB is engaged. LSlBsupplies current to the front contact D1 of the de-energizing relaywhich is not energized.

When both carriages 10 and 51 are fully retracted LS2 and LS4 open theirback contacts LSZB and LS4B to deenergize relays 10R and 51R which maybe impulse relays as the motors 11 and 53 are impulse acting but theseopen contacts prevent their further energization. At the same time LSZAand LS4A are closed. These contacts are connected in series from thecontrol line 100 to the Ferris 6 wheel operating relay F the other sidelOf which is connected to ground return H through the back contact D3 ofde-energizing relay D. The Ferris wheel relay F is then energizedclosing its front contacts F1 and F2. Front contact F1 puts a positiveconnection to the operating coil of the de-energizing relay D but theground side of this relay is connected to line 101 which is not closedby any front contact of the RD series of relays R since the permanentmagnet 93 on the Ferris wheel 18 is not opposite the proper relay orseries M relays.

The contact P2 of the Ferris wheel relay F energizes the motor 33 torotate the driver 90 of the Geneva and inturn rotate the Geneva wheel 86by consecutively passing the roller 91 through the slots 88 between theconsecutive dwell stations 87. When the permanent magnet 3 reaches thedwell position opposite the selcted relay M which when closed willcomplete the ground circuit for the tie-energizing relay D through theselected front contact RD series then D closes its front stick contactD1 and remains energized until the LSlB contact is opened.

The energization of the D relay opens contact D2 to de-energize theselected relay R which would open all the front contacts RD which woulddrop D but for the parallel ground contact D5 which maintains Denergized until the carriage It) is returned to its forward position toactuate LS1 and open LSIB.

The opening of contact D3 de-energizes relay P which opens the pickupcircuit of D through F1 and stops the motors 33 through F2.

The closing of contact D4 supplies positive potential to LSlC thenormally open but now closed front contact LSlCl supplying the samepotential is supplied through the normally open but presently closedcontact LS3C1 t relay 51F which through its contact 51F1 energizessolenoid 1% to supply air to the rear of the cylinder 53 and move theinking carriage 51 to its forward position. As soon as this is donecontact LS3C1 is opened to de-energize relay 51F. When the inkingcarriage engages limit switch LS3 its contact LSSA energizes PD to closePD1 and start the motor 32 to rotate the rolls 60 and 66 after the gear82 engages the gear 27 of the printing roll 17.

When the inking carriage 51 is forward LS3C1 is opened and LS3C2 isclosed. The latter contact is connected to energize relay 10F its frontcontact 101 1 which when closed actuates solenoid 105 which moves thecarriage 10 to its forward position. All of the rolls 60, 66 and 17 arerotating at this time and the peripheral speed of roll 17 is selected tosynchronize with the lineal speed of the strip 3. Thus the inkingcarriage 51 is returned first and must be in position before thecarriage 10 is returned to printing position. Thus relay D is maintainedenergized until the carriage 10 is moved to its forward or operatingposition at which time LS1B opens to de-energize relay through its ownstick contact D1.

The limit switch LS1 also opens LS1C when the carriage is forward thusthe circuit is in readiness for the next impulse of line whether it bethe same or another relay of the R series. Even if the same relay R asthe present printing roll selection is made the carriages will beretracted but the relay F will merely pulse and the motor 33 will notturn the Ferris wheel and the carriages will be immediately returned.This completes the circuit means for actuating the operating means toautomatically change a printing roll.

Said Ferris wheel 18 has connected thereto a Selsyn motor S1 which iselectrically interconnected with a second Selsyn motor S2 that ispreferably mounted in the control center for the mill which may not bethe pulpit or local control station but where the whole of the mill iscontrolled and operated. The motor S2 is connected to an indicator Ithat has eight indicating stations that correspond with the eightprinting rolls thus the actual position of the printing rolls 17 at theprinting station 5 is shown in the control room and may be used as amonitor check with magnetic relays M such as employed on the actualFerris wheel and a permanent magnet 96 to operate the same as indicatedschematically in FIG. 4. 1 In the structure of FIG. 1 both the Ferriswheel carriage 10 and the inner inking carriage 51 are shown in theirforward position with the gear 60 in mesh with the gear 27 to drive theroll 17 in the same linear speed as the strip 3.

In FIG. 2 although the strip 3 is travelling in the opposite directionthe carriage 10 supporting the Ferris wheel has been retracted. However,the inking carriage 51 still remains forward with the gears 60 and 27 inengagement. As shown in FIG. 2 the pitch circle drive line 89 for eachof the printing rolls 17 is indicated as a large circle which actuallyencircles the inner frame member 38 and since the gear 60 is shown inmesh with the gear 27 in FIG. 2 this pitch circle drive line passesthrough the pitch circles of each of these gears.

As shown in FIG. 6 both the Ferris wheel carriage 1i and the inkingcarriage 51 have been retracted so as to withdraw the gear 60 from theprinting roll pitch circle drive line. Thus the three views, FIGS. 1, 2and 6 illustrate the relative positions of the carriages 10 and 51.

I claim:

1. A multiroll printer for selectively marking one of a plurality ofdesigns on a travelling strip of material which consists of a base,fixed relative to the travelling strip, a carriage reciprocally mountedon said base to move forward and back, a Ferris wheel rotatably mountedon a fixed axis on said carriage, a plurality of printing rolls eachrotatably mounted in peripheral spaced relation to each other on saidFerris wheel and with their printing surfaces extending beyond theperimeter of said Ferris wheel, a stationary inner frame supportedwithin said Ferris wheel through said fixed axis from said carriage, aninking carriage reciprocally mounted to move forward and back on saidinner frame, an inking roller rotatably mounted on said inking carriageand having one portion for receiving ink to be applied in printing, anink transfer roll rotatably mounted on said inking carriage to engagesaid inking roll, means to adjust the pressure of said inking rollagainst said transfer roll, gear means on each of said rolls, drivemeans extending through said fixed axis to rotate said ink transfer rollto drive said ink roll, means to reciprocate said carriages forward toconnect the drive means between said transfer roll and a selected ofsaid printing rolls and to move the latter into printing engagement withthe travelling strip of material, and means to adjust said drive torotate said selected printing roll at a peripheral speed synchronizedwith the lineal speed of said travelling strip of material.

2. A differential tin-plate printer for marking a plurality of differentdesigns in accordance with the tin-plate coating characteristicsconsisting of a base fixed relative to the travelling tin-plate strip, acarriage frame reciprocally mounted on said base, power means on saidbase connected to said carriage frame to reciprocally extend and retractthe same, a Ferris wheel rotatably mounted on a fixed axis on saidcarriage frame, a plurality of printing rolls each rotatably mounted inperipheral spaced relation with each other on said Ferris wheel and withtheir printing surfaces extending beyond the perimeter of said Ferriswheel, a stationary inner frame, a support for said inner frameextending through said fixed axis from said carriage frame to withinsaid Ferris wheel, an inking carriage reciprocally mounted to extend anretract on said inner frame, a reciprocal motor on said inner frameconnected to said inking carriage to reciprocally extend and retract thesame in the same directions as the reciprocation of said carriage frame,an inking roller rotatably mounted on said inking carriage and havingone portion for receiving the ink to be applied in printing, an inktransfer roll rotatably mounted on said inking carriage with itsperimeter engaging said inking roller, means to adjust the pressure ofsaid inking roll against said transfer roll, a rotary drive shaft meansextending through the support of said inner frame and connected to drivesaid transfer roll, and drive means between said transfer roll and saidinking roll and a selected printing roll when said inking carriage isextended.

3. A multiroll printer for selectively marking one of a plurality ofdesigns on a continuously travelling strip of material which consists ofa rotatably supported Ferris wheel mounted on a reciprocal carriage andcarrying a series of peripherally spaced rotatable printing rolls to beselectively positioned by the Ferris wheel at a strip printing positionto print on said travelling strip, means to advance and retract saidFerris wheel carriage and a selected printing roll to and from the stripprinting position, means to rotate said Ferris when when retracted,circuit means for actuating said first means for automaticallypositioning a selected printing roll in alignment with the stripprinting position by sequentially first retracting the Ferries wheelcarriage by said first means then actuating said second means to rotatethe Ferris wheel to position a selected roll for printing then advancingthe carriage of the Ferris wheel by said first means with the newlyselected roll to the strip printing position.

4. The multiroll printer of claim 3 which also includes a roll drivingmeans including an inner power operated carriage reciprocally mounted toadvance and retract within said Ferris wheel to respectively engage anddisengage said roll driving means to said printing rolls, said circuitmeans also actuating said power actuated inner carriage to retract saidinner carriage while retracting said Ferris wheel carriage to disengagesaid roll driving means before rotating said Ferris wheel, a rotarymotor to operate said driving means, said circuit means alsointerrupting the operation of said rotary motor when both carriages areretracted.

5. The multiroll printer of claim 3 which also includes a roll drivingmeans including an inner power operated carriage reciprocally mounted toadvance and retract within said Ferris wheel to respectively engage anddisengage said roll driving means to said printing rolls, said circuitmeans also actuating said power actuated inner carriage to retract saidinner carriage while retracting said Ferris wheel carriage to disengagesaid roll driving means before rotating said Ferris wheel, a limitswitch means actuated by each carriage when in its retracted position,said circuit means to retract said carriages being supplied throughnormally closed contacts in said limit switch means.

6. The multiroll printer of claim 3 which also includes a roll drivingmeans including an inner power operated carriage reciprocally mounted toadvance and retract within said Ferris wheel to respectively engage anddisengage said roll driving means to said printing rolls, said circuitmeans also actuating said power actuated inner carriage to retract saidinner carriage while retracting said Ferris wheel carriage to disengagesaid roll driving means before rotating said Ferris wheel, a limitswitch means having a contact actuated by each carriage when in itsretracted position, said circuit means completing through said contactmeans in series, a circuit through a Ferries control relay to rotatesaid Ferris wheel.

7. The multiroll printer of claim 6 which also includes a selectingcircuit actuated by the position of the selected roll on said Ferrieswheel to close a circuit including a de-energizing relay, a back contactopened by said deenergizing relay to open the circuit of said Ferriscontrol relay and stop the rotation of said Ferris wheel.

8. The multiroll printer of claim 7 which also includes a de-energizingrelay back contact in series with said circuit means to position aselected printing roll.

9. A multiroll printer for selectively marking one of a plurality ofdesigns on a continuously travelling strip of material which consists ofa rotatably supported Ferris wheel mounted on a reciprocal carriage andcarrying a series of peripherally spaced rotatable printing rolls to beselectively positioned by the Ferris wheel at a strip printing positionto print on said travellin strip, means to advance and retract saidFerris wheel carriage and a selected printing roll to and from the stripprinting position, means to rotate said Ferris wheel when retracted,circuit means for actuating said first means for automaticallypositioning a selected printing roll in alignment with the stripprinting position by sequentially first retracting the Ferris wheelcarriage by said first means then actuating said second means to rotatethe Ferris Wheel to position a selected roll for printing then advancingthe carriage of the Ferris Wheel by said first means with the newlyselected roll to the strip printing position, a roll driving meansincluding an inner power operate-d carriage reciprocally mounted toadvance and retract within said Ferris wheel to respectively engage anddisengage said roll driving means to said printing rolls, said circuitmeans also actuating said power actuated inner carriage to retract saidinner carriage while retracting said Ferris wheel carriage to disengagesaid roll driving means before rotating said Ferris wheel.

10. A multiroll printer for selectively marking one of a plurality ofdesigns on a continuously travelling strip of material which consists ofa rotatably supported Ferris wheel mounted on a reciprocal carriage andcarrying a series of peripherally spaced rotatable printing rolls to beselectively positioned by the Ferris wheel at a strip printing positionto print on said travelling strip, means to advance and retract saidFerris wheel carriage and a selected printing roll to and from the stripprinting position, means to rotate said Ferris wheel when retracted,circuit means for actuating said first means for automaticallypositioning a selected printing roll in alignment with the stripprinting position by sequentially first re tracting the Ferris wheelcarriage by said first means then actuating said second means to rotatethe Ferris wheel to position a selected roll for printing then advancingthe carriage of the Ferris wheel by said first means with the newlyselected roll to the strip printing position, a selection relay having aback contact and three front contacts for each specific printing rollfor each relay includes the following, a pickup circuit initiatedthrough the back contact of each of said selection relays, a stickcircuit for each relay through the first front contact, an operatingcircuit for each relay through its second front contact, and ade-energizing circuit for each relay through its third front contact.

11. The multiroll printer of claim which also includes a de-energizingrelay energized by the positioning of the selected printing roll inprinting position and having a back contact that interrupts the stickcircuit through the first front contact of the selection relay when theselected printing roll is in printing position.

12. The multiroll printer of claim 10 which also includes a magneticrelay actuated by a permanent magnet position on said Ferris wheel andactuating said magnetic relay when the selected roll has been positionedin printing position.

13. A multiprinter for selectively marking one of a plurality of indiciaon a continuously traveling subject from one of a plurality of printingrolls placed at a printing position to print on the subject at aprinting position which consists of a base, a Ferris wheel rotatablymounted on aligned journals supported from said base, said printingrolls each rotatably mounted in peripheral spaced relation to each otheron said Ferris wheel with their printing surfaces touching a commonimaginary circle, each printing roll to print on the traveling subjectwhen moved into said printing position means to selectively position oneof said printing rolls into said printing position to print on thetraveling subject, a frame supported on said aligned journals Withinsaid Ferris wheel, ink roll means mo nted on said frame within saidFerris wheel for ink transferring engagement with the printing rollerbeing positioned into said printing position to print on the travelingsubject, a motor supported from said base, drive means supported by saidframe within said Ferris wheel and driven by said motor to rotate saidink roll means and said printing roll being positioned into saidprinting position at a peripheral speed equal to that of the travelingsubject being printed and before engaging the continuously travelingsubject matter to print thereon.

14. A multiprinter for selectively marking one of a plurality of indiciaon a continuously traveling subject from one of a plurality of printingrolls placed at a printing position to print on the subject whichconsists of a base, a Ferris wheel rotatably mounted on aligned journalssupported from said base, said printing rolls each rotatably mounted inperipheral spaced relation to each other on said Ferris wheel with theirprinting surfaces touching a common imaginary circle, each printing rollto print on the traveling subject when moved into said printingposition, means to selectively position one of said printing rolls intosaid printing position to print on the traveling subject, ink roll meanssupported from said base for ink transferring engagement with theprinting roller before reaching said printing position to print on thetraveling subject, a motor supported from said base, drive meanssupported from said base and driven by said motor to rotate said inkroll means and said printing roll being positioned at a peripheral speedsubstantially equal to the speed of the traveling subject before saidprinting roll being positioned engages the traveling subject to printthereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 651,397 6/1900Studebaker lOl-92 748,421 12/1903 Robertson 101l10 X 1,208,642 12/1916Pitney 101-91 2,613,795 10/1952 Yutang 101110 X 3,057,292 10/1962 Larsen10191 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM B. PENN, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No3,229,625 January 18, 1966 Ralph A" Pannier It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 8, line 14, for when, first occurrence, read wheel Signed andsealed this 10th day of January 1967 (SEAL) Attest:

IHUNESPVV.SWTDER AWmfingCHfiun EDUUU)J.BRENNER Commissioner of Patents

1. A MULTIROLL PRINTER FOR SELECTIVELY MARKING ONE OF A PLURALITY OFDESIGNS ON A TRAVELLING STRIP OF MATERIAL WHICH CONSISTS OF A BASE,FIXED RELATIVE TO THE TRAVELLING STRIP, A CARRIAGE RECIPROCALLY MOUNTEDON SAID BASE TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACK, A FERRIS WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTEDON A FIXED AXIS ON SAID CARRIAGE, A PLURALITY OF PRINTING ROLLS EACHROTATABLY MOUNTED IN PERIPHERAL SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER ON SAIDFERRIS WHEEL AND WITH THEIR PRINTING SURFACES EXTENDING BEYOND THEPERIMETER OF SAID FERRIS WHEEL, A STATIONARY INNER FRAME SUPPORTEDWITHIN SAID FERRIS WHEEL THROUGH SAID FIXED AXIS FROM SAID CARRIAGE, ANINKING CARRIAGE RECIPROCALLY MOUNTED TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACK ON SAIDINNER CARRIAGE AND HAVING ONE PORTION MOUNTED ON SAID LINKING CARRIAGEAND HAVING ONE PORTION FOR RECEIVING INK TO BE APPLIED IN PRINTING, ANINK TRANSFER ROLL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID INKING CARRIAGE TO ENGAGESAID INKING ROLL, MEANS TO ADJUST THE PRESSURE OF SAID INKING ROLLAGAINST SAID TRANSFER ROLL, GEAR MEANS ON EACH OF SAID ROLLS, DRIVEMEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FIXED AXIS TO ROTATE SAID INK TRANSFER ROLLTO DRIVE SAID INK ROLL, MEANS TO RECIPROCATE SAID CARRIAGES FORWARD TOCONNECT THE DRIVE MEANS BETWEEN SAID TRANSFER ROLL AND A SELECTED OFSAID PRINTING ROLLS AND TO MOVE THE LATTER INTO PRINTING ENGAGEMENT WITHTHE TRAVELLING STRIP OF MATERIAL, AND MEANS TO ADJUST SAID DRIVE TOROTATE SAID SELECTED PRINTING ROLL AT A PERIPHERAL SPEED SYNCHORNIZEDWITH THE LINEAL SPEED OF SAID TRAVELLING STRIP OF MATERIAL.